The Dream Book of Self-Knowledge
- animal carcass: a very positive dream that expresses the end of a dependency.
- carcasses coming to life: deadened tendencies are coming to life and will be much more dangerous for the dreamer.
- a dead rat (but the dreamer did not kill it!): deadened inner impulses driving the dreamer into sexual relationships.
- dead chickens (not caused by the dreamer): a positive dream since this image ends the symbol's life in the subconscious, it is then only up to the dreamer whether this is permanent or temporary.
- a dead bear: if the dreamer is not responsible for its death, then it is a very positive dream since the unconscious has in a single image appraised the dreamer's victory over one of the strongest instinctual symbols; yet even after such a victory there must occur final assimilation of the living symbol that indicates final and perfect conscious control of the instinctual symbol.
- dead mice: very positive since the dreamer has rid himself of primitive instincts and sexual urges; dead sexual desires are replaced by higher symbols (usually emotional but sometimes even instinctual).
- dead monkeys: a person's deadened lowest animal essence.
- dead dog: deadened instincts and instinctual wishes.
- a pile of dog carcasses (often in a pool of blood): a glorious victory over the instinctual aspect of one's personality; such an image is usually accompanied after a few months by the image of a dog's absolute obedience and then by the transformation of the dog symbol.
- seeing a dead snake (but not having killed it): unlike killing a snake, this is a positive symbol since it shows the result of the inner struggle with the instinctual part and does not directly affect vital energy; the dead snake's body (sometimes even chopped into pieces) is proof of overcoming dependency and sexual desire, whereas the dependency was as strong as the snake is long in the dream (if sexuality is low, then a person does not have the desire to suppress or process it; it is only after realizing this dependency and the attempt to control it that the inner growth of sexuality occurs; see Snake.
- a dead sow: disturbed family life.
- a dead cow: serious disruption of family relations, a foretelling of misfortune.
- a dead horse: this can be a bad sign if it is a miserable journey from the instincts to emotions, or it can be a positive sign if it consists of an ascension to the spiritual level where instinctual and emotional symbolism have already lost its meaning.
- many dead crocodiles: since they are no longer needed to yield content of the subconscious mind, the unconscious ends their dream life.
- a dead camel: this can be a bad sign if it is a miserable journey from the instincts to emotions, or it can be a positive sign if it consists of an ascension to the spiritual level where instinctual and emotional symbolism have already lost its meaning.
- a dead bird (not caused by the dreamer): a positive dream since this image ends the sexual symbol's life in the subconscious, it is then only up to the dreamer whether this is permanent or temporary.
- other dead animals: usually express deadened animalistic inclinations or, with its ensuing transformation and reoccurrence of the same living creature, it can express the transformation of the symbol; see individual animals.
- dissection of an animal (witnessing or doing): symbolizes the dreamer's attempt to know the essence of instincts, even of animalistic instincts, within himself.
- drowned animals: a surge of emotions has destroyed and later flooded some instinctual symbols (depending on which animal has drowned).
- dead fish: weakens the dreamer's spiritual ambitions and usually symbolizes the dreamer's fall to the instinctual level.
- dead stag: unlike almost all other dead animals, it is a negative image since it symbolizes Christ in the unconscious; the death of a stag is a violent interruption of the self-improvement process; see Stag.
- having the power to change dead animals into living ones: if the dreamer returns from the spiritual level back to the emotional and instinctual level, he can influence the lives of many instinctual personifications, though this only applies if the revived animals acts lovingly and obediently to the dreamer.
